Jesus now crosses over the sea again, and apparently in the same boat, to the other side, the opposite shore, near to Capernaum. St. Matthew (Matthew 4:13) distinctly tells us that he had left Nazareth, and was now dwelling at Capernaum, thus fulfilling the ancient prophecy with regard to Zebulun and Nephthalim. The circumstances under which he quitted Nazareth are given by St. Luke (Luke 4:16-31). St. Matthew (Matthew 9:1) calls Capernaum his own city. Thus as Christ ennobled Bethlehem by his birth, Nazareth by his education, and Jerusalem By his death, so he honored Capernaum by making it his ordinary residence, and the focus, so to speak, of his preaching and miracles. When Jesus returned, a great multitude was gathered unto him; and he was by the sea. St. Luke says that the people welcomed him, for they were waiting for him. Again he placed himself by the sea, probably for the conveniences of addressing a multitude, and of relieving himself of the pressure, as before, by taking refuge in a boat.
One of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name. He appears to have been one of the "college of elders," who administered the affairs of the synagogue. The name Jairus, or "Ya eiros," is probably the Greek form of the Hebrew Jair, "he will illuminate." He fell at his feet, and besought him greatly; it is literally ( πίπτει καὶ παρεκάλει), he falleth at his feet, and beseecheth him. We picture him to ourselves, making his way through the crowd, and as he approached Jesus, kneeling down, and then bending his head towards him, until his forehead touched the ground. My little daughter is at the point of death. St. Matthew says, "is even now dead;" St. Luke says, "she Jay a dying." The broken sentences of the father are very true to nature. All the expressions point to the same conclusion, that she was in articulo mortis. In each narrative the ruler is represented as asking that Christ would hasten to his house. He had not reached the higher faith of the Gentile centurion, "Speak the word only."